1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a liquid applicator for applying liquids such as: cosmetic liquids such as nail polish; inks; paints; liquid drugs; and the like.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, a number of liquid applicators of this type have been proposed, an example of which is shown in FIG. 4. This example or conventional liquid applicator shown in FIG. 4 is provided with an outer shaft or sleeve-like main body 4 in which is axially slidably mounted a cartridge 3 which is filled with an application liquid. In a front-end opening portion of the cartridge 3 is provided a valve unit 1, while a rear-end portion of the cartridge 3 extends rearward from a rear end of the outer shaft 4 to form a so-called push-out means of the cartridge 3. A front shaft 5 is threadably engaged with an outer peripheral surface of a front-end portion of the outer shaft 4 so that a brush tuft 6 serving as a liquid-application member of the applicator is fixedly mounted in the front shaft 5. On the other hand, an application-liquid conduit 8 is fixedly mounted on an inner surface of the front-end portion of the outer shaft 4, a rear-end portion of which conduit 8 is inserted into the interior of the cartridge 3 so as to abut on a valve stem 9 of the valve unit 1. With a front end of the conduit 8 is connected an application-liquid guide pipe 7 a front-end portion of which is inserted into the interior of the brush tuft 6. In operation of the conventional liquid applicator shown in FIG. 4, the cartridge 3 is pushed axially forward to move the valve stem 9 rearward relative to the cartridge 3 so as to open the valve unit 1. As a result, the application liquid contained in the cartridge 3 is permitted to flow to the brush tuft 6 through the conduit 8 and the guide pipe 7. Incidentally, after assembling of the liquid applicator, a front end of the application-liquid guide pipe 7 reaches a position slightly ahead of an axially 15 intermediate portion of the brush tuft 6 in the interior thereof.
In the conventional liquid applicator having the above construction, in case that the viscosity of the application liquid is high, it takes too much time for the application liquid to reach a tip portion of the brush tuft 6 after the application liquid is supplied to the intermediate portion of the brush tuft 6. This is a problem inherent in the conventional liquid applicator having the above construction. It is possible to resolve the above problem by inserting the application-liquid pipe 7 into the brush tuft 6 so as to reach a position in the vicinity of the tip portion of the brush tuft 6. However, in this case, there is another problem in that the thus further inserted guide pipe 7 considerably impairs the brush tuft 6 in flexibility in use.